The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-28
FIGURING ON THE RATES
ruE COMMISSION BEGINS THE
TAKING OF TESTIMONY.

r.
+veen Charges by Rail and by Water
Sol Haas Thinks Existing Rates
Abo,1t Right-Mr. Culp Credits Com
na+ition With Bringing About Re-
duced Rates.
ATLANTA. GA, April 27-The Interstate
Commerce Commission began its first meet
;rg here at 10 o'clock this morning in the
ritv Council chamber Judge Cooley called
a tba meeting to order and stated that large
number of petitions had been received from
-ailroads in this part of the country asking
for exceptional orders under the interstate
commerce act These orders could be made
only upon evidence taken before the com
n mission. He said: eve have come here to
4 hear this evidence on the part Of those who
q urge exceptional orders and those who op-
nose them Evidence will be given
under oath, Just as if it were
81 2 judicial investigation. AS the petitions
n ore numerous and our time is limited we
81 will have to map out mode of procedure
81 which will expedite matters 1t is deSira-
81 HE that persons and communities shall con-
III centrate their views, petitions and evidence.
III We do not expect to examine each petition
u nv itself, but shall take them up together,
81 for the facts sustaining one petition are
"A much the same as those supporting others. J"
n THE FIRST PLEA.
n Gov. Bullock asked the commission to sus-
81 pend the regular order of business, SO that
II the resolution adopted last night by large
Xmeeting could be presented.
4 Thereupon Maj. j. F. Hanson, OF Macon,
bread a resolution asking the commission to
make permanent its temporary suspension of
& the long and short haul section of the bill
with regard to the Southern lines.
II The commission expressed desire to
q hear from the railways and a list of wit
3nesses was given. The first witness exam
lined was Charles A. Sindall, Secretary of
Il the Southern Railway and Steamship Asso
#ciation.
n Gen. E. P Alexander, President of the
#Georgia Central railroad, conducted the di-
8rect examination The witness gave minute
Mexpanatons of how rates are made and
#maintained by railroads and water lines.
He was cross-examined at great length by
Judge Cooley and Commissioners Walker
land Bragg.
IT. NJ. Emerson, of the Atlantic Coast
line, and w P. Shellman, of the Georgia
Central road. were examined on the same
points at great length The commission
then took a recess til O'clock
Mr. Ogden, of the Southern Railway and
4 Steamship Association, was the next wit
ness after the recess, and he testified at
s great length touching the difference between
water rates and land rates. He was ques
fl0ned by MIR. StOhlman as to what effect
water rates have upon railroad rates at ST.
Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg and other cities
which have water and rail competition The
witness SAID that to a great extent water
rates control the rates OF railroads He was
hSked to speak with reference to rates from
Atlanta IN comparison to towns near here.
BE showed how rates on certain classes of
lrelght would be affected if the long and
Snort haul section should beenforced
NO COMPLAINTS HEARD.
At the conclusion MIR. StahIman asked
nm II he nal ever heard any complaints
foCut nl8h rates from towns along the road,
#and The witness said that he had not
Commissioner Bragg: ''Is the charge on
ireiglt from the West to Atlanta the same
ns Il Is from the West to Chattanooga
4eS, the same rate per mile
What determines the rate to Chatta-
noogar asked Nh Bragg.
M 1T is simply regulated by agreement
was the reply
Ia has water anything to do with the rater
B No, sir; think notn
B &minghamm
I ,iI, MI1e same as to Montgomery"
nat regulates this"
W Competition -
w, w nat about the rate TO Romer
me rates to Rome are the Georgia Com
ii,,isohGrs rate with the local rate from At
lalta addedn
sol. HAAS HEARD.
%l haaS' OF Richmond, Va, was the next
l..
uo'2 sad that he was the agent OF the
Myiated roads OF Virginia and the Caro-
.r, w nat controls the rater'
a. tne M uuhk lines and water lines control
'u rates on these ines.'
f,oo A." nao ti Is, IS your view of existing rates
t%u tsE the West to Chattanooga and Allan
gently VII" q"eSoioh lhCeil-
@al pointsm i''''''0' Ai0'"
,op,"ot; No, ar; the only complaints are from
pcS"l Souiu tne rates to Montgomery, Birm-
"Sqain STal or Selma be changed"
nfa "p IdIeS might perhaps be raised q
mor' ,re' Dtt tne roads would not make anv
u%e none. by it," ''''''NN
OLD OCEANS INFLUENCE.
y1,. a. CUP, of the Louisville and Nash
vss vas "de Cle next witness. He said that he
h,bi ia.lllar ~ with the rates from the West
OSSded these rates O'iii i'o'4'ioi
loir,, Qua o%tahlman asked about rates to various
eF,t.tiiid F%,ss ana wanted to know if they were
%Sssletl by water.
NV, wv witness replied that tbey we,e
ecom,,,,i.s ,Vv ~ tne reason for lowering ratesg'
II {IHnpetltlon does il.
dpt" as y !. Irile that large part of the pro-
tnce w s. sne south have to 20 a long dis
~ " ma marketp
cotton ioS' Sr' nearly all Southern moducts--.
dror%a ps IRON and lunber-must 60 long
an,a Cl'S oaS not not true Of yellow pine from Ala
es, srn
PIC ir,SS Sou ~. snow whether the producers of
ho, "'e satisfied with the adjustment OF
ns, ~ sIi they were satisfied until the
he, vi Oh The Ohio nver advanced
r.. THE RATE on PIG tRoy
.-a,d -a,dl',ls'sioner ,l.'i Walker asked the witness
ban h. tenlait t"nat was the rate from Birnling-
nte. 'S'llle on pig iron before raising
S9s S, 4 10, now :. is ~ per ton"
hala.' ., man asked: rs not tbe cotton
Nti,, .p Pig irun traffic about ali the ex,
VS. H"m the Southw
al ''' these articles constitute about
lu lpnrr Bragp. isDa ,.,,, l,,,,,,, a..